A weekend at home (sort of)...

Oh well after a couple of weekends where we were very much on the go the time came where we really needed to take a couple of deep breaths and slow down (just a little).

There are some things that you just have to change when you move. One thing for us was to  get our Ontario Driver's Licence. We had to give up our New South Wales licences and their mournful looking photographs and swap them for brand new Ontario licences with an equally their mournful looking photograph. Oh well our new ones arrived so the thought was we better go for a drive and test it out. So we fuel up to head off to Orillia.

While we were filling up with Gas we were joined by some of the interesting vehicles Canadians have. The Muskoka area sees hundreds of snow machines zooming around most weekends. Julie is threatening to go riding one soon (not sure that's a good idea Carm).

By the way fuel is around $1.08  in Gravenhurst and this seems to be a fairly good price to me.

What's in Orillia? Well for one thing there is a CAA shop. For those who aren't aware CAA stands for the Canadian Automobile Association which has an agreement with Australia's NRMA and that gave us the opportunity to stock up on maps. It's not that we don't trust our girl Garmin but a map is a sort of reassuring thing even if you can't read it as fast as Garmin the GPS works. Never mind, we have both now!!!!

We returned to Gravenhurst where we prepared  to go out to our first musical event. Mmmmm about time, but I guess we have been reasonably busy! The event was a coffee and folk music night and took place took place at Muskoka Place Gallery near Port Carling. http://www.muskokaplace.ca/

This event was made much easier by us being driven to the show by Peter and Leslie who are friends from just around the corner. Leslie had met Julie at Exercise Classes and invited us to call around and have a drink, we had ummed and ahhhed for at least 37 seconds before accepting their invitation. Off we went on foot, on a dark and snowy night (after all walking is one of my strengths and when you add my balance what could be easier). However a good night was had by all! I guess I can't really speak for Peter and Leslie, but at least we had a good time!!

That feeling must have been at least somewhat mutual as we learned about many events in music, on film and in the arts community and what's more we were invited to them. That is what led us to Muskoka Place Gallery and a show that included a drummer and story teller, a native flute player and Lorne Brown ( a banjo player, singer and story teller).

A good night, good company, interesting music and musicians and fabulous artwork! John and Pam Cowan would have been well and truly at home at this event.

Sunday saw us up reasonably early and heading to Barrie to meet for lunch with Sharon and Jim Taylor who hail from Ottawa. Sharon is a person with MS who we stayed with them on our Eastern Adventure in 2007 and it was very nice to meet with them again they were in Barrie for Sharon to have a follow up after her CCSVI treatment that she had in the hope that it would make a difference to the MS journey. It will be interesting to see what effect the treatment has for her.

Moose Winooskis was the venue for our meal. Have a look at the website http://www.barrierestaurants.com/Moose-Winooskis.  Whatever you see on line only tells half the story!!!!

A quiet weekend at home????? Oh well I'm sure next weekend will be much quieter.

Only an all night bus trip and a weekend in Quebec City.............

School activities including Wayne Gretzky's Birthday.......

Weeelll it had to happen!

Sooner or later I would be called on for more than cleaning, vacuuming, washing, ironing and cooking. Oh and did I mention scintillating conversation and the immense knowledge of everything you need to know about just about everything.

The frantic call came for assistance at school. And I was just the person who an experienced teacher would call on. All the knowledge was there, the body was fit and functioning and the most important thing was that I was AVAILABLE AND CAME AT THE RIGHT PRICE!!!!!

So, you may ask, what was this assistance that needed such expertise???

In the first place there was the winter hike!!!!

 

So what was the destination????

The Gravenhurst Library

Canadians are a bit more used to the cold than we are and it's refreshing to see that schools, children and their parents allow excursions like this. And what was my role, apart from moose patrol, come along and watch.

The next assignment for me was the

Wayne Gretzky Birthday Celebration!!

Well that is what Canadians know January 26th for. For some of those residing in countries other than Canada especially most of those living near where I normally call home it is Australia Day!!

And for Mrs Frost's Class (and School) for at least a few hours Australia Day celebrations took the place of the Wayne Gretzky 50th birthday party.

So what was my role in the party? None other than the head balloon inflater, (assistant to) the cheif damper baker, spreader of the honey, and 2nd sprinkler of the (green and gold) hunreds and thousands for the fairy bread. What a role!!!

And after we sang the National Anthem and we showed that we were indeed Girt by Sea a good day was had by all......

And then we joined the rest of  Canada and

went back to the great One's Birthday!!!!!!

Well I guess we had to go there.........

Having reduced the number of Frost's to two and increased the numbers of cars to one it was time to "have a bit of a go". On our calendar there were two appointments for the same weekend. An Exchange Teacher's welcome to Canada followed by a conference and information session in Toronto. Or a welcome home party for our friends Greg, Marianna Caralina, Maea and Julia and their family who were in Jerrebomberra last year. The welcome home was in C#**#@*wood. 

So what would you do?

Well I'll you what we did, it was easy!

WE WENT TO BOTH, OF COURSE!!!!!!!!

What a wonderful new friend Garmin the GPS has has turned out to be. Not sure whether it is a he or she but whatever it sure seems to be able to find its way around which makes for a lot less stress in and around the CuRVee.

We had arranged to stay with  Cheryl Howe in Toronto. She had done 2 exchanges to Australia and the latest on was as Principal of Sutton PS, which is a school and an area that I knew reasonably well having presented a Surf and Water Safety talk there. Sutton is also near the home base of a couple of well known beekeeping families, Cheryl knew both the Bingley and Kershaw families well.

We were driven to the welcome which was good as we walked through the door and were welcomed with a drink, I guess we were in the right place at the right time. The welcome was, in a word, welcoming! LOL!! It was nice to meet some of the peopole who have done a similar thing to Julie and transferred 24,000km to start teaching different kids in a different place and in a vastly different climate...

After we were collected we returned to Cheryl's and talked Australia, Canada, Exchanges, kids, teachers, parents, Departments of Education, travel and weather. Oh and as Cheryl was a wine lover we talked WINE!!!!

The next morning saw us in a High School meeting with the Canadian League of Education Exchange (CLEE). This was an informative, valuable and entertaining meeting and I'm sure we benefited greatly.

Following the meeting we headed to lunch at the Swiss Chalet (yet another restuarant chain) with Ingrid, Belinda and Emma who are the youngest of this year's exchange teachers and have yet to get cars. Unfortunately we and Garmin the GPS disagreed on where the Swiss Chalet actually was so it took a bit longer to get there than we had hoped. Never mind we got there and the food was good and even "Frosty friendly".

Well then we had to bite the bullet and head to Collingwood. It's a hard thing for a couple of true supporters of the only team, the mighty Saints to go to a place called Collingwood after last year. I don't really know how it happened but in 2009 became friends with an Exchange Family who became Geelong supporters and in 2010 became friends with people who became Collingwood  supporters. I think I'll make everyone I meet this year pledge allegiance to the Mighty Saints!!!!!

Apart from those minor issues it was a great night. They and their extended family were amazingly friendly and inclusive which is something which seems to ingrained in all Canadians. And they have such great houses!!!!

The trip home took us along a similar route to our trip from Owen Sound which made it a little easier for both the driver and the navigators (me and Garmin) and this time Jimmy and Frank hadn't left a train parked on the road. However, there was quite a bit of snow falling and on the road but I guess it is winter......

One less Frost in Canada

We'd had the pleasure of Melissa's company a few times since we arrived in Canada and indeed she had  collected us from Toronto.

Melissa had managed quite a trip in the 6 weeks since she left Wollongong. She had in 3 weeks in the USA been to Los Angeles (Theme Parks and watching the LA Lakers) along Highway 1 to San Francisco. Then to Las Vegas and flown along the Grand Canyon by helecopter before another flight this time to New York. New York included the usual highlights but as she was travelling with a Canadian she managed to get to a hockey game to watch the New Jersey Devils. Whew!!

Then to Canada for Christmas and to pick Mum and Dad up (yippee) but Canada was not for a rest as she partied, and went to many places that regular Aussie tourists miss. These included weekends at cottages in Muskoka, Montreal and skiing at Mont Tremblet, and did I say parties!!!

All in all she seemed to have a wonderful time but it was very nice to see her for a few weeks. And if she did a lot in her time here don't forget who her Mum is....

Having Melissa here was a wonderful start to our year in Canada!!!

Have Wheels will travel.....

Okay we have a car so what happens next????

Obviously we go to the opening of a Photographic Exhibition and to make it completely normal we add a visit to friends and we add a birthday party to the mix. Oh and by the way we travel 190km or so on snowy roads, after all the CRV is an all wheel drive so we might as well test it out...

However despite the slightly inclement weather and interesting road conditions we did emerge unscathed at the opening of Kris Rosar's fabulous photographic exhibition in Thornbury. There was a first in this trip and we'd actually actually arrived early!!! So we had the opportunity to look at a very nice art gallery where apart from a lot of dreams about new art for 6 Perkins Parade we left with wallets unscathed, for the time being.....

The exhibition was displayed with the dominant colour of the picture being the link between the photographs which displayed views from Tasmania to Newfoundland and all points in between. All in all it was a fabulous exhibition from a talented artist.

It was nice of Kris and Mark to invite us, we'd met them when Mark did a teaching exchange to St Mary's in Moruya in 2006. They'd lived at Broulee hence some of the photographs in the exhibition being very familiar.

After the exhibition we headed to a 'potluck' which turned out to be a birthday party for the hostess, Lorraine. In all it was fun way to meet a whole lot of people. And as ever the Crockpot didn't let the team down.

Following the party we headed to the Roser's place in Owen Sound and discussed what we'd, respectively, been doing for the past 4 years. As you might expect the memories had been lubricated by some fine Canadian wine which made for a later night than we had expected. Oh well not the first time that had happened in our lives.


Following a latish breakfast at Rosar's (what a lovely house)

we headed back towards Gravenhurst with the obligitory stop to pick up my walking stick and Julie's glasses. My lack of memory might be contagious... Anyhow it gave us the opportunity to look at Lorrain and Robert's house in daylight.

Again the trip took a little longer than the GPS (aren't we tech heads) told us it would, but we weren't truly to blame....


What fool parked that thing here???
Looks like the McGrath, Davey Operation has gone global!!!




 

Tyre (tire) kicking in the snow???

Well one thing was certain when we moved to Gravenhurst we would need to buy a car. Unlike the last exchange there was no car to swap this time so we were in the market!!!

Now buying a car in Canada has its challenges. For a start there is 15cm (6 inches) of snow on the roads, in the car yards and on the cars. But there are things that are the same, lots of cars, lots of car yards and lots of used car sales people who all "have a deal for youuuuu"!!

We were given the name of a salesman at Greavette Motors in Bracebridge and after we called in at a Ford dealership we met Garnet who was supposed  to be a good bloke. But that didn't mean that we bought the first thing we saw. After looking at and driving about 6 cars we decided to have a rest for a while and think and research a bit more.

At least one thing is certain if we want a truck there are plenty to chose from!!!!!!!!!!!

In the meantime we returned to getting to know Gravenhurst better and the more we looked the more we started to realise that this exchange was to a very, very nice place. Oh well I guess that is how an exchange works, one nice place for another!!!!

Oh well as we had rented a car for the weekend to help in the pursuit of a our new car we thought a trip, apart from one to a car yard, would be a good idea. So, apart from a quick detour to Orillia Hyundai, off we go around the Muskoka Lake Circuit. The sky had cleared and the blue skies only accentuated the beauty of the area. There will be a lot to see in this area alone. We better get a car soon, there is so much to explore.....

  

 

I guess Julie can really walk on water...

Well back home and more negotiation but then there was a rude interruption.

School started!!!!!!!!!

Ohhh well it had to happen.

But that didn't stop the negotions. I'm sure Garnet was starting to tire of the Aussie Tyre Kickers, but if he was tiring of our negotion he didn't show it and finally a car came in that seemed to fit all that we were looking for aaaaannnnnnnnnndddddddddddddd finally

OUR NEW CAR!!!!!!

MORE TO FOLLOW........

Week1. A lame title but it will do for now....

A lot of people would think of resting after a 25,625km (Narooma to Gravenhurst - ask Google Maps). NOT US!!!! 

Many would spend a couple of days recovering from the trip NOT US!!!!

Some may think of taking a while to get used to living in a new house in a new town in a new Province in a new Country and in the middle of winter. NOT US!!!!

What do we do first? We go to a party! At least our priorities are right.. Thanks for the welcome that Gravenhurstians, our exchangee (Helena) and Community Sponsor (Janet) provided. It gave us a great opportunity to meet a whole lot of new people. Very nice indeed.

So what happens next? Melissa returns from a weekend at a cottage on a lake with friends of friends from Wollongong University. Seems that Wollongong Uni has provided a never ending supply of friends, parties and anything (sounds like a good name for a band). 

Upon Melissa's return from the Cottage we move decide that we better see a few places before she leaves for Australia. Most guide books to Canada I have read are unanimous about Canada's #1 attraction.

So off we go to Niagara Falls. As we haven't yet bought a car we rented a Mazda 3 and headed off in "flurries" on our first big drive for 2011. Flurries is a wonderful description for snow falling lightly but even flurries worry this Aussie, none the less we arrive at our destination safely.

We were there in the summer of 2007 but the winter adds even more to the beauty of the Falls, they are truly majestic! Unfortunately the natural attraction of the Niagara Falls isn't enough for some people and to my way of thinking there are some of the most inappropriate "attractions" in the area. I'm sure that King Kong does have a place but I'm not certain it's here.

Enough of my whinging, we had a great time!! And what other people do and enjoy is their business... And the Niagara Falls are truly spectacular!!!!

 

From Niagara falls we headed to Kingston to meet with Melissa's friend Michelles parents. Tom & Cathy are a fun couple and the evening we spent with them was both very relaxing and very enjoyable. As my friend Jimmy says it's nice meeting nice people.

The trip back to Gravenhurst took a little longer than we expected due to a detour to get petrol (gas) and a bout of shopping, never mind it's all part of the adventure and we both got boots that are good to -20C. Something that I am sure we'll both need during this year.

more adventures to come.....